African agricultural officials have converged on Cameroon to map out ways of processing the continent's enormous food resources instead of exporting the raw products to Europe.
The international trade fair on agriculture and agro industries is focusing on the cassava crop, hoping to add value to the more than 200 million tons of the starchy tuber Africa produces each year.
Processing key
As 300 women - members of the Akono cassava farmers association - peel, boil, steam, slice,...(read more)

The Supreme Court on Monday turned away appeals from death row inmates in four states that raised different questions about the fairness of capital punishment.
Justice Stephen Breyer, commenting on two of those cases, repeated his call for the court to take up the constitutionality of the death penalty. Breyer said defendants who face death sentences are not society's worst criminals but are "chosen at random, on the basis, perhaps of geography, perhaps of the views of the...... (read more)

This iconic wine capital seems an unlikely ground zero in France’s battle against militant Islam. Yet, down a narrow street off the city’s center, an experiment is under way to bring at-risk youngsters back from the edge.
A partnership, between Bordeaux’s city hall and the local Muslim federation, is one of dozens of initiatives springing up around France to tackle a daunting challenge: how to fight the powerful lure of radical Islam.
The question is critical for France, western...... (read more)

Rex Tillerson, a prominent business executive friendly with Russia's president and who has spent his 41-year career at the same oil company, remains the leading candidate Monday to run the State Department in the Trump administration.
But President-elect Donald Trump may be forced to select someone else, such as former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, as the requisite Republican support in the U.S. Senate for Tillerson looks shaky.
In his latest comment on Tillerson, the...... (read more)

Tuberculosis killed some two million people last year, making it one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. Accurately diagnosing the disease is critical to reducing its toll, but that can be a challenge in the developing world. A new health facility in Tanzania is employing a novel, low-cost tool that could help millions get the medicine they need to fight off the disease. Sophie Tremblay has the story from Dar es Salaam.... (read more)

The United States and European Union have imposed sanctions on officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who allegedly used violence and other means to delay the country's elections.
President Joseph Kabila's second and, according to the constitution, final term is due to end in one week on December 19. But Kabila is slated to remain in office beyond then after reaching a deal with an opposition faction to delay elections until 2018.
The majority of the...... (read more)

The Smithsonian says the National Portrait Gallery will put up a photo portrait of President-elect Donald Trump a week before the inauguration.
The Smithsonian said in a statement that the portrait will go on display January 13. The portrait of Trump was taken in 1989 and shows him wearing a suit and tossing an apple with his right hand. The Smithsonian says the image is one of four works in its collection representing the president-elect.
This particular portrait was taken...... (read more)

Former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres has been sworn in as Secretary-General of the United Nations, taking over from Ban Ki-moon at the end of the month.
The former U.N. refugee chief was elected by acclamation in the General Assembly in October and takes over from Ban on Jan. 1.
The 67-year-old Guterres becomes the ninth U.N. chief in the world body's 71-year history.
Guterres performed well in answering questions before the General Assembly while...... (read more)

Nominations were announced on Monday for the 2017 Golden Globe awards for movies and television.
The Golden Globes, organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, will be handed out at a gala dinner hosted by Jimmy Fallon in Beverly Hills on Jan. 8.
Following is a list of key film nominations.
BEST DRAMA
"Hacksaw Ridge"
"Hell or High Water"
"Lion"
"Manchester by the Sea"
"Moonlight"
BEST COMEDY OR MUSICAL
"20th...... (read more)

Last week's earthquake in Indonesia's northern province of Aceh damaged dozens of schools, undermining children's ability to recover from the trauma of the disaster, aid groups said.
Wednesday's 6.5 magnitude earthquake, which toppled dozens of buildings and killed at least 100 people, was the worst disaster to hit the region since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Among those affected are 30,000 children and young people whose schools are closed as a result of the...... (read more)

One day soon, your smart phone could be charged by finger swipes, according to new research.
Writing in the journal Nano Energy, researchers from Michigan State University say they have developed a film-like device “to harvest energy from human motion.”
The researchers say the “nanogenerator” was able to operate an LCD touch screen, 20 LED lights and a flexible keyboard with the device and without a battery.
The film is made using a silicone wafer upon which thin layers of silver,...(read more)

A platoon of Marines will escort John Glenn's casket from Ohio's capital building to his memorial service at Ohio State University.
On Friday, the first American to orbit Earth will lie in state in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda during an eight-hour public event.
The processional will begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
The former combat pilot, astronaut and U.S. senator died Thursday at 95.
IN PICTURES: John Glenn
The Capitol Square Review and Advisory...... (read more)

France is Western Europe’s top exporter of jihadists, but it’s a regional laggard when it comes to programs to combat radicalization. That’s changing - but maybe not fast enough. With the Islamic State group weakened in Iraq and Syria, fighters are returning, posing a growing threat at home. From the French city of Bordeaux, Lisa Bryant takes a look at new efforts to turn the tide.... (read more)

The Geminids meteor shower hits its peak on Tuesday, but a full moon will outshine the celestial show this year.
NASA says the Geminids are one of the best and most reliable meteor showers. At its peak, 120 meteors can be seen per hour under perfect conditions.
This year, the peak coincides with a full moon and that could make all but the brightest meteors invisible to the naked eye.
NASA says sky watchers looking to see the shower should head somewhere away from city...... (read more)

China's explosive demand for SUVs helped boost auto sales 17.2 percent in November over a year ago, an industry group said Monday, as automakers prepared for the end of a key tax break and a potential slump in demand.
Drivers in the world's biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold bought 2.6 million cars, minivans and SUVs, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Total vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, rose 16.5 percent to 2.9...... (read more)

Uganda on Monday started up its first grid-connected, 10 megawatt solar power plant as the east African country moves to tap its renewable energy resources and expand its electricity generation capacity.
Funded by Norway, Germany, UK and the European Union, the $19 million plant was developed by Access Power and Eren Re, two energy sector investors based in Dubai and France respectively.
Uganda, a prospective crude oil producer of some 34 million people, generates about 850 megawatts...... (read more)

Ghana will have a new president next month when Nana Akufo-Addo takes office following his victory in last week's election. The new president has spent a lifetime immersed in the West African country's politics.
Akufo-Addo won the presidency of Ghana by pledging to fix the economy. Despite offshore oil production, the country has struggled with escalating debt, increasing corruption and high unemployment.
“We have to recognize one thing. If we do not make a focused,...... (read more)

Musical romance "La La Land" led the Golden Globe nominations on Monday with seven nods, including the top category of best comedy/musical film, while
independent production "Moonlight" led the drama film categories
with six nominations.
"La La Land" scored nominations for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in the lead comedy/musical acting categories, while writer-director Damien Chazelle received nods for best director and best...... (read more)

It is a busy morning at the Nyakuron market in Juba. But along with the meat, produce and textiles, economic hardship is also on display, as South Sudanese struggle to buy and sell goods that have become increasingly more expensive, especially within the last year.
“The business is not going fine,” said 28-year-old butcher Joseph Khemis, who works at the market. “People are not buying things like they used to buy before, right now. So I am not getting enough money.”
The country...... (read more)

Russia's economy is in a quagmire thanks to sanctions and low oil prices, but it's a boom time for Mikhail Khorpyakov.
The 32-year-old, who develops software for Russian and foreign clients, has seen his earnings rise over the last two years even as the country fell into recession and the national currency lost half its value.
At the airy, well-lit office he shares with friends in a newly built block in the thriving provincial tech hub of Voronezh, Khorpyakov...... (read more)

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump fired a new broadside Monday against the Central Intelligence Agency conclusion that Russia interfered in the presidential election to help him win, questioning why the claim wasn't made before last month's voting.
In a pair of comments on Twitter, Trump contended that if Democrat Hillary Clinton had won the election and Republicans "tried to play the Russia/CIA card, it would be called conspiracy theory."
He added, "Unless...... (read more)

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will lead a mission to Gambia on Tuesday to mediate in a crisis brought on by long-ruling President Yahya Jammeh's refusal to step down, president-elect Adama Barrow said.
Jammeh had quickly conceded defeat to Barrow after a presidential election on Dec. 1. But in an about-face on Friday that drew international condemnation, he denounced the results.
He plans to contest the result at the Supreme Court, raising the prospect that...... (read more)